Page 55 of The Ice Sisters

Derrick made a low sound in his throat and examined the photo more closely.

“Again, McClain, even if there is, I can’t do anything about it. You need to stay out of it and let us do our jobs.”

“I have a bad feeling about Modelle,” Cord snapped. “He’s going to kill again.”

“We need concrete evidence of that,” Derrick said. “Just leave the investigating to the pros.”

Cord’s eyes shot daggers at Derrick.

“We need all the help we can get, Derrick,” Ellie said, her voice tight. “What if he’s right?”

Derrick squared his shoulders. “Are you willing to cross the line, put your career in jeopardy, Ellie, on a hunch from a hothead like him?”

“I can take care of myself, Derrick.” Ellie curled her fingers into her palms and glared at him. Derrick strode from the conference room in a cloud of anger.

A thick strained silence fell between Ellie and Cord in the seconds that followed.

Finally, Cord spoke. “He’s right, El. I don’t want to get you in hot water with your boss or jeopardize your job.”

Ellie wanted to scream. Instead, she sucked in a breath. “To hell with the job and protocol,” she said, seething with anger. “Two little girls are dead. If we can prevent another, then we do whatever we have to.”

His brown eyes darkened to slits, then he gave a small nod of understanding.

Whatever he found, she’d use it and make it work. And if she suffered the consequences, she’d deal with it.

Better that, than another child’s death on her conscience.

SIXTY-FOUR

Derrick’s temper slowly subsided as he stepped outside for some fresh air. He knew McClain was only trying to help in the case. He wasn’t a bad guy, he had just grown up rough. He also had been an asset in other investigations.

But Derrick sensed the ranger had a dark side, a side that if unleashed, could be dangerous.

Besides, he wasn’t a cop. And Derrick didn’t want Ellie jeopardizing her career for the man just because they’d been friends for years.

Pushing his emotions aside, he turned his mind back to the case. He phoned the judge to request warrants and explained about Delilah Short’s murder and her possible connection to the death of the twins and the disappearance of Barbara Thacker.

“Agent Fox, we’ve been through this before. Obtaining a subpoena for private medical records is a long process.” He knew that and had pulled strings with a contact to find out about the stillborn birth.

“But it’s possible one of Delilah Short’s patients killed her.”

“Bring me reasonable cause and a specific name and we’ll see what we can do.”

Derrick ground his teeth as he hung up. Dammit, it was one roadblock after another. He and Ellie had to talk to Delilah’s coworkers. If Delilah had problems with one of her clients, someone at her office might know.

To cover all the bases, he ran a background check on Delilah’s ex-husband but the man seemed to be stable, no financial problems and no history of any domestic problems with the couple. Next, he did a deep dive to find a number for Rosalyn Birmingham, but her driver’s license had expired. He tried the phone number listed on her last license, but it was no longer in service. He found no current bank account then looked at her social security deductions and learned her last job was at a place on Coal Mountain called the Biscuit Barn.

Pulling up the number, he phoned the manager. A woman answered, then called the manager to the phone.

“This is Special Agent Fox with the FBI. I’m inquiring about a woman who worked for you, Rosalyn Birmingham.”

The man stuttered a curse word. “What is she saying? ’Cause I had to let her go. Customers were complaining about her coughing all over the place, and she smelled like smoke all the time. A real turn-off.”

Derrick frowned. “Actually, she’s not saying anything,” Derrick answered. “I need to talk with her.”

“Well, hell, I don’t know where she and that kid went.”

Derrick remembered the little auburn-haired girl with freckles from the photographs on Barbara’s thumb drive. “Her child was with her?”

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